Choice
by xX - Jadalyn - Xx
Summary: Princess Renesmee Cullen, a royal half-vampire, is forced to choose between her family and Jacob Black, a werewolf castle slave who is also her love. Medieval setting. AU. Yes, I know, I suck at summaries.. :P R&R, but no flames!


**This is just a random idea that popped into my head while I was watching Underworld: Evolution, so I wrote it down. It may be a bit confusing at first, but don't worry, it will all be explained as you read. I may take this idea and turn it into a full story.**

**Warning: I don't really like Jacob that much, so, naturally, that will be reflected in my writing. Don't like it, don't read it. Simple as that. :P**

**Read and Review, but No Flames!! **

Choice

The mere thought that this would be a choice I would ever have to make had never crossed my mind. After all, we had made a compromise with my father and mother - and perhaps it was more than a bit prejudiced, but it was the only way we were to be permitted to stay together - and we were content with it, or so it had seemed. However, his guaranteed participation in the coming slave revolts was proof of my ignorance.

Hours passed as I tried to comprehend why he was doing this; but that's much easier said than done. Every time I thought about our previous conversation, I couldn't help but wonder: If he had been so unhappy, why had he not said anything? Or, maybe he had tried to tell me; to show me. Perhaps I was merely too blind to receive the message.

Then again, he _is_ a werewolf; a slave. Why should any kind of message be necessary? It's common knowledge that the werewolves do not want to be slaves. No one would. Perhaps I was being rather self-centered to believe that my romantic presence in his life would make his enslavement worthwhile; and maybe it _was _the truth when I was actually _in _his presence, but those instances were scarce; sometimes less than an hour per day. So then, in those 23 hours that we are apart, he is angry enough to do something so drastic; to throw away our life together?

Of course, I am fully aware that I can't even begin to comprehend what it feels like to be owned, used, and sometimes even abused, but he said he loves me. If he loves me, then why is he pushing me to choose between him and my family?

"Ugh!" I groaned aloud, sounding more like a croaking hog than a graceful half-vampire. All this thought was giving me a migraine.

Within seconds, my mother, Queen Isabella Marie Swan Cullen, was perched on the edge of my bed. She placed her ice cold hand between my shoulder blades and gently rubbed back and forth.

"Renesmee, honey, what's wrong?" she asked in her beautifully sweet and caring voice.

I love my mother more than anything; and I always go to her first for emotional support, but right then, I just didn't want to verbally describe what I was feeling; it was too painful. Instead, I meekly raised my hand up and touched my mother's cheek with my fingertips. A tear escaped from my eye, silently sliding down the side of my face as I focused on pushing the memory of mine and Jacob's most recent conversation into my mother's mind. I watched as she went into a trance-like state while she received the memory, and I hoped she wouldn't be angry.

_"Jacob, please," I pleaded. "This is nonsense."_

_"Nonsense? Nonsense?" he nearly yelled, his tone rising a note with every syllable. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. "It's not nonsense, Ness." He paused, trying to find the right words, I guessed. _

_"This is my life we're talking about, Ness. I don't want to live my whole life being forced to work as a slave for people who don't even care about me. It's not fair to me or my brothers to live like this. We just want to be free," he said, stressing every word._

_"It's not for forever, Jacob. All werewolves are aloud to try for their freedom after 200 years service," I argued, trying desperately to think of something that would talk him out of following through with this. I could feel my eyes growing hot with tears. _

_"Yeah, Ness. _They_ are, but _I_ am not. That was part of my deal with your parents; I have to do the hard field labor instead of the castle work that I was doing before, I'm allowed to see you for one hour per day before I go out to work, and I may never be permitted to try for my freedom. I'm going to be a slave for the rest of my life!" he ranted, throwing his arms around for emphasis. _

_"But Jacob, my father said as you prove your worthiness, he would gradually allow us more time together, and after you have proved yourself, he would consider cutting your hours. Those were his exact words! Besides, you get free food, shelter, and clothing, and you're allowed 7 hours of sleep and a shower every night. It can't possibly be that bad! You and your brothers are treated better than any workers in the Kingdom! Jacob, please, if you all go through with this, it's possible that you could be executed!" I couldn't help it; the tears overflowed and streamed down my cheeks. I just couldn't lose my Jacob like that. My love. _

_"I'd rather be dead than have to live this miserable life! I don't care about everything else!" he exclaimed._

_In that moment, I could have sworn I felt my heart split. _

_"Ja-cob." My voice broke. My mind swelled with countless emotions. I took a step back, away from Jacob. He was shaking violently; about to shift. I felt his eyes staring furiously into my own. It felt like I would burst. Suddenly, his look changed. He stopped shaking, and his eyes were soft. He was regretting his last outburst; I could see it in his face. He took a step towards me, reaching out to take my hand._

_"Ness," he cooed._

_"Don't touch me," I gasped. I jerked my hand away from his._

_"I'm sorry, Ness. I didn't mean it like that. I wasn't thinking," he pleaded._

_I crossed my arms and looked away. "You wouldn't have said it if you didn't mean it," I mumbled, a hint of anger in my voice. _

_"Ness, I just meant that," he paused again. "I just meant that I don't want to be enslaved my whole life. I don't want to live like this. I just want to be free."_

_"They are stronger than you all; and I mean all vampires, not just the royal family. You wouldn't stand a chance in a fight against them," I snapped._

_"We weren't planning on fighting. Not yet," he said._

_"Really? Then what were you planning," I asked, staring intently at him. _

_He looked up towards the castle's high ceiling and ran his hand through his glossy black hair._

_"I don't know," he confessed. "We haven't figured out all the details yet. We were talking about strikes. I don't really know, heavy-duty persuasion, maybe? You could talk to your father. I mean, he is the King; you could help us," he slyly suggested._

_"It's not just up for him to decide, Jacob. He has to consult with the elders, the Volturi, before he can make any dramatic change like that," I tried. I wasn't comfortable at all with where this was going._

_"Well, you could talk to them as well, couldn't you? Please Ness, for me," he stepped forward and took both of my hands in his, "Please?"_

_I stared downwards at our entwined hands. He is my boyfriend. I should help him, I thought. But Edward is my father. Contradicting him, and the elders, would be disrespectful. I love Jacob, but I love my family too._

_"No." I said. I tried to fight back the fresh tears. "I'm not taking sides, Jacob. I don't want to get involved. I can't."_

_There was silence for what seemed like eternity, but finally, he released my hands and stepped back. _

_"I'm sorry Ness, but that's just not possible. You are Princess Renesmee Carlie Cullen, the King's only daughter, and you're dating me, a rebelling slave. It can't be helped; you're going to have to choose, like it or not," he said, his voice sent chills down my spine._

_With that, Jacob turned and disappeared through the castle's vast, medieval doors._

Once again, I couldn't help it, the tears just started flowing, creating even streams down the far sides of my cheeks. I'd been crying so frequently on this bleak day that my face was nearly numb from the constant run of the cold, salt water.

My mother smoothly pulled me into her stone arms. She held me closely to her chest and rocked me slightly back and forth.

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry," she whispered, craning her neck down towards my ear. "It's okay, though. You'll be okay," she assured me, as all kind-hearted mothers do.

I wept openly in her arms. Every tear and every short, breaking gasp was immediately accompanied with loving reassurance and a soothing massage as she rubbed my back in rhythmic circles.

"I just d-don't understand w-why," I managed to choke out.

"I know, honey. I know. He had no right to demand such a thing from you," she murmured.

I closed my eyes, straining the muscles to tighten as much as possible; they were beginning to burn.

"But, every time I think about it, I can't help but to conclude that he's right. In the end, I have to choose. I have no choice," I drearily argued.

"No honey, you do have a choice. You don't have to do anything you don't wish to do," she said. "He doesn't control you, not in the slightest."

I pulled away and looked her in the eyes, searching for some hint of what she was thinking. Sympathy and love is what I saw.

"What am I supposed to do, though?" I asked her.

"I don't know, honey. It's up to you. Just do what you feel is right," she said.

I looked into her eyes for a few more seconds before pulling her back into a tight embrace, sniffling as the tears finally started to slow. I loved my mother so much. She was always so encouraging and she never hurt me in any way. My father, Rosalie, Carlisle, and Esme were the same way, except they were a little more protective. Emmett was like my playful, jokester uncle, Jasper was my loving and helpful uncle, and Alice was like my best friend. They had always been there for me and had always let me make decisions for myself, without chiding me for them. Never once had they made me cry. That was more than I could say for Jacob. I loved him and he loved me, but it just wasn't the same, unconditional love that my family held for me; and as I sat, cradled in my mother's arms, I knew exactly who I would choose.

My family had yet to hurt me, and I was not about to hurt them.

**Ladedadeda! :D **

**Like I said earlier, this may become a full story; I haven't decided yet. :P**

**Review please! NO FLAMES!!!**


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